Going home
by Kotorine
Summary: A short Hitomi and Van story (is there any other couple worth mentioning?) where Hitomi tries to return to Gaea. Hope you like itPLease R


Going home  
By Autumn star  
Heya please read and tell me what you think. This is a short story about Hitomi and Van hope you like it. It is a bit of a tearjerker. Enjoy.   
  
Staring into space. That was what she did. It was her thing. Her way of escaping the reality of what her life had become and back to the boy she left on another world 2 years ago.   
Sitting in her Monday morning assembly, Hitomi blocked out the headmistresses droning and revived the memory of the last time they had been together.  
She could see the leaves rustling in the light wind.  
She could feel the caress of the breeze.  
She could hear the rebuilding of Faniela at the edge of the forest.   
Then she could see him. His chocolate brown eyes holding crystal tears, his soft unruly raven hair draping over one eye before he brushed it out of the way with a flick of his head, and his beautiful mouth curved in a loving understanding smile.   
Reaching out he tugged her into a last embrace. His arms tightening round her waist, the soft fabric of his red shirt pressing against her check as she clung to him.   
They moulded together as though never to part. Tears fell from both their eyes and Hitomi could feel them dropping on her head as he cried for the pain in their hearts.  
"Hitomi" Pain laced his usually carefree voice. She could still hear it. Cracking   
her heart with a knife of ice. Pain she had caused. She had thought she couldn't stay in Gaea. Back then she still thought of Earth as home. She had been  
young and thought she needed her family and friends on earth not realising she'd made new ones there. She prayed with her heart to go back every day. Her life had become a never-ending cycle. Unable to forget, unable to go back....  
Hitomi was wrenched from her memories by a sharp tug on her right arm. Yukari was pulling her to her feet as assembly had ended, now classes would start.  
Ever since she had returned to Earth Hitomi had lost interest in every thing except track. When she ran she left her life behind. Also everyday when she walked out onto the track, she would feel that glimmer of hope rooted deep in her heart that maybe a pillar of light would appear and take her home. Home to Geae.  
Today Yukari was coming to watch the team train. She did it every so often when she had time. Yukari had always been there for Hitomi even when she got back from Geae and no one had believed her story. The police had said she had been severely traumatised and her mind had blocked out what really happened, so the case was left open. Even though Yukari and Amano's accounts matched hers, but still everyone had noticed the change in Hitomi.   
Every Friday afternoon Yukari would start her weekly mission to get Hitomi to come out during the weekends and socialise. But it never worked; life had lost  
its point. What reason had she to live?   
Though Yukari stayed by Hitomi and helped her through a lot, listening to her story even if she didn't believe it. But just knowing that she cared helped more than Yukari would know.   
  
Sleep rarely came to Hitomi that easily anymore so that night she left the house and walked to a near-by field. As she climbed the hill to the familiar oak tree, she glanced around at the beautiful scene. The moonlight coated everything giving  
an untamed look. Breathing the scent of the field it reminded her of him. She lay down at the base of the tree and stared upwards at the stars.   
His voice whispered in the wind. A ghost of his touch caressed her check. Tears slowly rolled down her checks.  
Why Oh Why did she not stay with him? Why did she not see then, that she would spend the rest of her days yearning and crying for him? Why didn't she realise the pain this would bring?  
She used to see him all the time. In all his beauty and glory, with his powerful ivory wings surrounding him. Watching over her. Giving her strength, happiness and hope. The hope that one day when Faniela was rebuilt he would return for her and bring her home. Home to Geae.   
But then the visits had become less and the pain more.  
And then one day she woke up and knew they had stopped. He wouldn't be coming to see her anymore. The day they had stopped Hitomi knew it like a bullet through her soul. She had come to this field and lay for hours questioning her life. And that night she started to dream. Every night she would close her eyes and see another time and place where she was with Van and experienced a life never to become real. And everyday she slipped into the world of her memories, reliving the joy.   
Hitomi lay in the field until dawn, slipping between realities. As the sun came up blessing all those in love another day to live and cursing those suffering like herself another day of separation and pain, Hitomi came to a decision. A decision that would decide her fate. By tomorrow Hitomi would either be living a new life filled with love and peace or she would be ending one of pain. If Van did not answer the plea she sent out today and come and take her home then she would take her own life. Because moving on and finding someone else had never been an option, she couldn't forget, her heart wouldn't let go.   
Hitomi never thought it would come to making this decision but she couldn't continue living a half life, a half existence.   
Shutting her eyes against the rays of sunlight she cried out with her heart. "Van please come for me don't leave me alone anymore." With that last plea Hitomi walked home to prepare for the last day of her life on earth.   
  
Slowly Hitomi picked up her bag and walked down the stairs.   
"There you are Hitomi. Are you ready to go? The race starts in an hour and you'll need to warm-up when you get there."  
"Yes Mama."  
"I will see you at the start of the race, okay?  
Hitomi stopped at the door, turned and ran back to her mother tackling her with a fierce hug. Much like Merle used to do to Van, Hitomi mused.   
"Goodbye Mama see you later okay"   
Turning quickly Hitomi ran out of the door before her mother could see the tears in her eyes. Leaving her with a bewildered look in her face.   
  
Goodbye.  
  
As she walked out of the changing rooms and onto track people wished her good luck, but Hitomi just nodded and kept walking, concentrating. Today was the district championships so stands were packed with friends, families and anyone connected with the school. When she had finished warming up Hitomi checked the time of race, another 5 minutes. Patiently she waited for the race to be announced. When it was, Yukari ran up to her.   
"Come on Hitomi that's your race. Good luck. I know you can do it. Just remember to keep breathing and focus and you're sure to win...."   
Hitomi stopped Yukari's usual excited babble, with a quiet "I remember."  
"Hitomi are you okay? You seem a little distracted." Yukari asked.  
Hitomi just nodded and pulled her old friend into a hug. "Thanks for caring Yukari." She whispered into her ear before jogging to the starting line.   
That when it happened, the world phased out and a flash of broken pictures appeared before her eyes.   
Van hugging her before she was to return to earth.  
Van standing in the pouring rain looking at her on the bridge with Allen after they'd kissed.  
Van and her reaching out to clasp hands across the gap between their cages when they had been prisoners in Zaibach.  
Van reaching for her when she fell off the cliff and saw his wings for the first  
time.  
Van pulling her onto Escaflowne when he came to earth to bring her back to Geae.  
Van whispering her name when she started to float to the heavens in a pillar of light the final time she had returned to earth.  
  
All this transpired over a matter of seconds leaving Hitomi gasping for breath. A hand rested on her shoulder a concerned voice asked if she was okay. Nodding she walked away and took her place at the staring line. What did the vision mean? Was he coming back for her? Did he hear her plea and want her back? Or was this fates cruel way of letting her remember the good times together before she ended her existence? No sooner had this thought struck her when another vision hit her like a bolt of lightening.   
  
This time it was of herself. Getting ready to run the race on earth the night Van returned for her on Escaflowne. She could hear her thoughts from the time.   
Now focus everything!  
Then Amano had started the race, and she had run with all her heart. When on that crucial second Van had appeared on Escaflowne surrounded by a pillar of light reaching for her.  
  
The vision ended leaving Hitomi in no doubt of what she had to do. Van was coming for her.   
The judges were staring the race.  
Bending Hitomi smiled and thought Focus everything.   
BANG!!  
Then Hitomi ran and time slowed. In her mind she could see the pendant swinging to the beat of her heart. Four timeless swings and it froze, and glowed. During that same hope filled second the familiar terrifyingly beautiful column of light appeared from the sky. The race came to a sudden halt as everyone stopped unbelieving of what they were seeing. The column touched the ground barely inches in front of Hitomi's feet. Overcome by joy she watched as the most beautiful person she had ever known appeared before her. Landing in a crouch his back facing her with his ivory wings spread out behind him, the light disintegrated into nothing. A sacred silence filled the stadium at the sight of the young boy. All were in terror and awe of his beauty.   
Hitomi felt her heart beat quicken as her breath echoed in her ears.   
It was Van. The same silky untamed raven hair, the same worn-looking red shirt, the same gleaming sword bearing the crest of Faniela. He drew himself to his feet and seemed to survey the scene before him.   
He was a hand stretch away. All her dreams had been leading up to this one moment. But yet the courage seemed to elude her for the moment. Afraid that if she touched this apparition he might disappear forever. But then a thought flashed across her mind. The thought that if she didn't live for this one moment and see if he was real even for a split second in time then she would regret it for the rest of her existence. After all how often did fate give second chances?  
Reaching out Hitomi stroked her fingertip against the snow feathers of his left wing. He swung round to see who was touching him, and stopped breathing.  
Her eyes drank in the sight of him. His skin grew pale under his usual tan. He  
had grown taller and his coffee eyes had haunted look she longed to rid him of.  
An eternity passed as she looked at him and he looked at her.  
"Don't cry" Was the only sound that filled the stadium. His husky voice confirmed this was not a dream, not vision but real. Only then did she realise she had tears rolling down her checks.   
Hitomi didn't know who took the first step but suddenly she was wrapped in his warm embrace. Her head on his shoulder, and he was pressing desperate fierce kisses all over her checks and hair. She breathed in his scent as though it was oxygen. Lifting her head she brushed her hand across his check, his soft breath tickled her face. The sunlight surrounded him with a golden aura. Her angel had returned.  
"Hitomi. I heard you call. I came for you...I beg you to come back with me I love you more than life itself, I can't go on like this any longer..."  
Lightly pressing a finger over his velvet lips to silence his pain. She nodded, pulled his head down to her level and pressed her lips against his for what was meant to be a brief moment. But after striving on memories of Van for the last  
two years and the sweet pleasure that overcame her, she could not part. The feel of his lips moving against hers. The slight unsure flicker of his tongue over her lips. His hand slowly stroking her back and sliding through her hair. Being wrapped in his protective embrace, the soft warmth of his body pressing against hers.   
Slowly coming up for air she realised they were still standing in the middle of the racetrack with a stadium full of people. Murmurs were starting from the crowds and several policemen were making their way towards Van and Hitomi, to investigate this strange person from the skies.  
"Lets go home Van." She whispered to him. She watched as he pulled her long ago pendant from under his shirt and clenched it in his fist. It glowed a blood red and immediately a column of heavenly light surrounded her. The policemen stepped back, threatened by the light but only for a split second. Then they  
strove forward and grasped Hitomi's arm trying to keep them on the ground. A fierce growl was heard from Van and before a blink of an eye his sword was at the man's throat.  
"Let her go" Three little words but spoken in such that only a fool would disobey. The policemen all stepped back trying to calm her beautiful angel, who pulled Hitomi in his arms and with a single beat of his powerful wings they raised off  
the ground.   
"HITOMI BE HAPPY" A solitary voice called to her. Hitomi looked down at Yukari and blew her a kiss.  
She could feel the light, which seemed to follow fate's command, tug them upwards and back to Geae. But then Hitomi didn't care where she was going except that she was in Vans arms. Wrapping her arms around Van tighter she watched as the scene below grew further and further away. Breathing deep Hitomi realised she was finally going home. 


End file.
